This invention relates to flat display systems and, more particularly, to a alphanumeric display means, which permits versatile display of readily discernible indicia.
Heretofore, various types of display systems have been known. In one type, independent light emitting elements are arranged in a planar form as in lamp display boards and luminescent diode display systems. In another type of system, a luminescent material is sandwiched between two electrode plates and activated by application of an electric field, as in electroluminescence display systems and plasma display systems. In a further type, a material capable of undergoing changes of light transmitting character, light absorbing character and other optical characteristics by application of electric field is sandwiched between two electrode plates, as in liquid crystal electro-optical display systems, photo-chromic material display systems and cataphoresis display systems.
These systems have been employed for the illustration of various indicia. Some of these are alphanumeric systems.
Among the alphanumeric displays known to applicant are those of Hurata in U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,816 and Lapeyre, U.S. Pat. No. R.E. 29,033.
Of these Hurata requires 96 pattern elements to display the alphanumeric characters and other usually employed symbols (punctuation) in a readily discernible form. Lapeyre on the other hand has two different arrays of 16 and 24 segments to depict the alphanumeric characters and the punctuation etc symbols, but the characters are all inclined at a 60.degree. angle with respect to the horizontal.
Liquid crystal display systems known to applicant include Lapeyre U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,031 and Berman U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,526.
An object of this invention, accordingly, is to provide a display system, which is capable of a versatile display in a readily disernible form.
A further object of the invention is to provide a display means, which can selectively display numerical figures, alphabetical characters and other symbols in a readily discernible form with a comparatively small number of pattern elements.
Another object is to provide an alphanumeric display means that can be incorporated into a display system.
Yet another object is to provide a dispaly means comprising a novel array or matrix of light emitting or light reflecting elements.
A yet further object of the invention is to provide an array of light emitting or light reflecting elements for the display of the upper and lower case letters of the English language, the numerals and the punctuation marks and other symbols found in a typewriter keyboard.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the product possessing the features, properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.